Mindfulness retreats for young adults
When you are on a retreat, you get away from the hustle and bustle of the world, follow a certain routine, and be with nature. Depending on what kind of retreat you go to, you will have different experiences; you will learn self-reflection, meditation, spiritual advancement, yogic techniques, or physical relaxation approaches. One common theme all the retreats have is they bring a pause in busy life and give a perspective on your life, work, and journey. When you really get in the weeds of life, getting a pause, a mindfulness retreat is uniquely valuable. Think of it this way: you stop rowing for some time, come up to the deck of the ship and decide the direction where you want to go before you go down to row. Mindfulness retreats are valuable for everyone but more so for teenagers.
Teens are the future of our civilization. Full of energy, hope, and strength. They think differently, big, and limitless. With them, they bring the power to change, the courage to do things, and the determination that it can be done. I for one see the Sunrise of a better future in our teens. However, teens are also under a lot of pressure to succeed in academics, extracurricular activities, and social relationships. They are constantly bombarded with information from their smartphones, social media, and other digital devices, making it difficult to focus on the present moment. Mindfulness retreats for teens offer a way for young people to take a break from their hectic lives, connect with themselves and others, and learn valuable life skills.
Mindfulness and its benefits
Mindfulness is a way to bring the mind, awareness, and sense of engagement to the present moment. One of the great Yogis of the past said, whatever happened has happened, and what hasn’t happened yet, why worry about it? Life only exists in the present moment; Mindfulness takes you there.
Regular practice of mindfulness helps in the overall development of teens’ personalities. From the lens of academics, Mindfulness designed for teens helps in better memory, problem-solving, communication, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and time management. There is another article I wrote explaining the benefits of Mindfulness for teens in detail.
What do Mindfulness Retreats for Teens include?
Every mindfulness retreat is different based on the size, location, focus, duration, theme, and staff it has at the venue. Some retreats are set in nature such as the ocean, rivers, mountains, forests, etc., some retreats are silent retreats and some are more adventurous. Retreats can vary from a 1-day retreat to all the way 10 days (or even longer). You have to pick the ones that align best with your current stage and goals.
Mindfulness retreats for teens can include immersive experiences, group activities, meditation, breathing, self-reflection, activity with nature, manifestation, etc. Love, empathy, and compassion are other important elements that are included in the retreats for teens.
Benefits of Mindfulness for Retreats for Teens:
- Reducing Stress, and Anxiety: Teens today are under a lot of social and academic pressure, which can lead to stress and anxiety. Mindfulness retreats offer an opportunity to disconnect from the heaviness of daily life and bring clarity to life and purpose, which can reduce stress and anxiety levels. If there is an accomplished teacher, teens will learn a lot about ancient yogic stories and lifestyle that brings abundant meaning to life.
- Promoting self-reflection: Mindfulness practices can help teens develop self-awareness and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, without any judgment. The ability to reflect on themselves without any judgment brings about creative and problem-solving skillset. This is very valuable for personal growth and development.
- Improving attention and concentration: Mindfulness practices, such as meditation, have been shown to improve attention and concentration. These skills can be valuable for teens as they navigate their academic and personal lives.
- Developing emotional regulation skills: Mindfulness practices can help teens develop skills to regulate their emotions, such as identifying and labeling emotions, accepting emotions without judgment, and responding in a constructive way. As teens grow up in the real world, working with others in collaboration is an extremely critical skill set. Ability to not only understand your own thoughts but also of others will set future leaders apart.
- Building connections with others: Mindfulness retreats for teens offer an opportunity to connect with other young people who share similar interests and values. These connections can be valuable for building a sense of community and support.
- Promoting self-reflection: Mindfulness practices can help teens develop self-awareness and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This can be valuable for personal growth and development.
How to choose the right mindfulness retreat?
If you are interested in attending a mindfulness retreat for teens, there are a few important elements to consider while choosing a program:
- Length: Consider how long the program is and whether it fits with your schedule and needs.
- Location: Think about where the retreat is located and whether it is accessible to you.
- Content: Look into the retreat’s content and whether it aligns with your interests and goals.
- Instructors: Research the instructors who will be leading the program and their qualifications and experience.
- Language: It’s always good to make sure that language aligns with what you are comfortable with. If the instructor speaks your first language, it’s always a plus. The concepts when understood in the native language, really sink in.
- Cost: Consider the cost of the program and whether it fits within your budget. Most expensive does not necessarily mean the best.
- Reviews: Look for reviews from past participants to get an idea of their experience and whether they would recommend the program. Depending on how important is this for you, have a chat with previous attendees.
Conclusion
Mindfulness retreats for teens offer a valuable opportunity to take a break from the stresses of daily life, connect with oneself and others, and develop valuable life skills. I will highly suggest schools, NGOs and community centres shoulder some responsibility to arrange and organize Mindfulness Retreats for teens in their area. These retreats can be a powerful tool for promoting mental health and well-being and can help teens develop skills to navigate the challenges of adolescence and beyond. If you are interested in attending a mindfulness retreat, be sure to research different programs and choose one that aligns with your interests and goals.
How the academic performance of teenagers improves with mindfulness practice?
Mindfulness is a way to bring the mind, awareness, and sense of engagement to the present moment. One of the great Yogis of the past said, whatever happened has happened, and what hasn’t happened yet, why worry about it? Life only exists in the present moment; Mindfulness takes you there.
Teens are at that stage where they are growing in all facets of life: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. They are learning to navigate relationships, academics, parental and family expectations, and cultural norms. The rise in Social media, the overwhelming news, and choice overload are other challenges that they are going through which the generation prior did not.
When faced with all these growing difficulties, focusing and excelling in academics becomes challenging. Mindfulness is proven to help teens to perform better in many different dimensions of academics. In this article, I will bring forward the benefits of mindfulness on various aspects related to academics and I will touch upon a couple of simple yet effective mindfulness practices for teens.
Memory
Memory is an essential aspect of academic success for teenagers. The ability to remember and retain information is crucial for learning, and comprehension. However, many teenagers struggle with memory issues, which can be caused by stress, anxiety, or lack of focus. When teens practice mindfulness, they learn to focus their attention on the task at hand, which improves their ability to remember and retain information. The mind can only do one thing at a time, and when done with full attention the information is comprehended. Once any topic is properly digested, it stays with you.
Problem-solving
Mindfulness brings the ability to look at things as they are. It enables a holistic view of the problems. When the mind learns to be a witness, it sheds the prejudices and judgments. This in turn brings about a state where teens break free from any limiting beliefs or preconceptions that may be blocking their ability to generate new ideas or perspectives. Many a time in the real world, problem-solving, happens in collaboration with others and not in a silo. More on it in the next section.
Collaboration
Mindfulness practices help teens develop empathy by encouraging them to be more aware of their own thoughts and emotions, as well as the thoughts and emotions of others. When teens practice mindfulness, they learn to be more present and attentive to their surroundings, which can help them better understand the perspectives and needs of their peers. This helps them become more empathetic and supportive collaborators, which leads to more effective teamwork.
Critical Thinking
Regularly practicing Mindfulness develops the ability to go deeper into the topics. Ability to stay engaged with the topic for a longer duration. Mindfulness gives teens the ability to focus their minds. This opens up all the facets of the topic, understanding the first and second derivates that arrive from the topic and comprehending the pros-cons related to it. And As a great yogi once said, “The power of minds is like the rays of the Sun, the more focused they are more they illumine. This Universe is ready to give its secrets if only you know how to knock. The power of knock comes through focus and ability to stay engaged”.
Communication
Mindfulness is a very powerful tool to increase communication skills. Teens are always on the go, sometimes it is the assignments, classwork, sports, friends, or family functions. And when life is in this mode, the communication aspect of life can not remain untouched by this. Mindfulness brings that pause, it makes you more aware of your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, which helps you communicate more effectively. It brings the pause before the conversation, the engagement during the conversation, and reflection post-conversation. It also helps tremendously to become a great listener and generate genuine empathy. All of the above results in effective communication with classmates, friends, teachers, parents, and career coaches. Another aspect of communication is to express; it may be through presentations, seminars, talks, articulating an argument in class or just talking with friends. Because mindfulness helps to deeply understand the topic the art articulation starts springing up on its own.
Time Management
For time management, there are a plethora of tools and techniques out there. Teens can pick and choose what works for an individual. But Mindfulness addresses more fundamental psychological and behavioral aspects of managing time. When the mind gives undivided attention to one task, it gets done efficiently. When the mind has the clarity of the task/s, the time it will take, and the expected outcome of it, the task is accomplished in a more holistic way. Mindfulness also brings a sense of respecting oneself. This element of self-respect brings about routine and discipline in life. It is this discipline that makes adhered to any sort of time management technique that you follow.
Creativity
Among all the benefits of mindfulness, creativity has its own mystic place. Creativity is a process that involves imagination, innovation, and generating novel ideas. Mindfulness practices such as visualization and guided imagery can help teenagers develop their imagination and creativity. By imagining new possibilities and exploring different perspectives, teenagers can expand their creative horizons and generate fresh ideas. It also helps develop a more experimental mindset that is open to trying new things and taking risks. By embracing the uncertainty and ambiguity of the creative process, teenagers can explore new ideas and approaches without fear of failure.
Overall, there are many types of research that suggest that mindfulness practice can be a powerful tool for improving academic performance in teenagers. One study conducted by the University of British Columbia found that mindfulness practice led to significant improvements in academic performance among high school students. The study involved a group of 95 students who were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness-based stress reduction program or a control group. After eight weeks, the students in the mindfulness group showed significant improvements in their grades, compared to the control group.
Two Mindfulness Activities for Teens
Every morning sit down for 10 minutes for deep breathing. Each breath should take you 30 seconds. Inhale, hold, and exhale. Be as Gentle, as slow, and as deep as possible. so in total 20 breaths. 20 breaths a day will do miracles in life. Within two to three weeks, you will start seeing above mentioned benefits trickling in.
Spend time in nature. All of the existence came from the stillness and will merge back into the stillness. Nature reminds us of the stillness. Spend an hour a week or an afternoon every weekend in nature. With the sky, forests/trees, rivers, lakes, ocean, or mountains. They have been there for thousands of years and will stay there for many more to come. This experience connects with the deeper self.
Daily Mindfulness practice improves attention, memory, and cognitive abilities; it reduces stress and anxiety and develops important life skills. Mindfulness can help students achieve their full potential in and out of the classroom. I wish you all the very best.
The Connection Between Nutrition and Productivity
Good nutrition is essential for optimal performance and productivity. When you’re working hard and pushing yourself to do your best, the last thing you want is for your body or mind to fail due to poor nutrition. Proper nutrition gives your body and minds the fuel they need to achieve their best. Here are some insights into how nutrition affects productivity and how to fuel your body and mind for the best performance.
How Does Nutrition Affect Productivity?
Nutrition provides the energy and fuel our bodies need to carry out daily activities. The better the fuel, the better our bodies and minds will perform. A balanced diet of nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains gives your body and mind enough energy to complete tasks and stay productive. When our diet lacks essential nutrients, we may experience low energy levels and poor concentration, both factors limiting our productivity.
In addition to providing essential nutrients, good nutrition can improve mental clarity and focus. Eating foods rich in iron, vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids can give your brain the nutrients it needs to remain alert and focused. Eating breakfast, avoiding excessive caffeine or sugar, and staying hydrated can also help to keep your energy levels high and your mind sharp during the day.
How to Fuel Your Body and Mind for Optimal Performance?
The key to fueling your body and mind for optimal performance is to create a balanced diet that includes a variety of whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains. Limiting processed and sugary foods that provide little nutritional value is also essential. Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day to keep your energy levels steady is also beneficial.
In addition to eating right, it is also essential to stay hydrated. Drinking enough water throughout the day can help ensure that your body and mind function optimally.
Finally, getting enough rest is essential for boosting productivity. Getting the recommended 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night can help to recharge your body and mind, allowing you to be more productive during the day.
3 steps to get back on feet after a mass Layoff
3 steps to get back on feet after a mass Layoff
Going through the experience of letting go is one of the worst in life. This first happened to me when I did not even know what the word lay-off meant. We couldn’t comprehend that our cards will not work anymore, the labs where we were designing the best products will be locked for us, and the place where we made friends and tackled some of the most difficult challenges is closed for us; We thought this is our company, we gave our blood and sweat but to it, we were nothing but a pink slip and good luck note. I was more prepared when it happened the second time. And I promise you, this could really be, as much as contrary it looks right now, the best thing to happen to you. I don’t say this because a magic wand will bring miracles but YOU with a certain mindset and discipline will bring it to yourself. I am sharing my Mental Model and Mantras below.
So What!
Life happens, and it will happen again. So what! Say this to yourself, So What! and move on. The biggest impact of the ‘Mantra’ of “So-What” is that it will distance you from the situations you are in and empowers you to be on top of the situation than the other way around.
Step back and Examine
Take a step back. Literally! then understand a few questions? Work with me, answer them now, while reading it.
1. Do you want to continue in a similar industry or function?
- Answering this question will make this journey a little straight or a little curvy. And both are good.
- If you are happy in your industry or job function and you see yourself like that in long term, great. Go to section
- If not let us carry on below.
2. Your Passion
- What are you passionate about?
- What exactly can you do in the function or industry?
- Is this industry or function growing, stagnant, or shrinking?
These questions will narrow down your next steps. Below are two examples to assist you:
Example 1:
I am passionate about the music industry, I would like to be a financial analyst, and this industry is growing at 4% every year.
Example 2:
I am passionate about Journalism, I would like to be a Data visualization manager, and this industry is growing at 2% every year.
You will see that sincerely being able to write this might take time. And that is okay. Actually, that is better. Each fill-in-the-blank will need a lot of self-reflection and conversation with your coach or a good friend. And If I tell you the truth, the model is much deeper and that is beyond this article. But this is an excellent start in the right direction. Things that influence the blanks are geography, the stage of your career, family, personal situation (health, financial, social, etc.), and kids. If you need the complete model, do not hesitate to reach out. We can share the generic model or create one exclusively designed for you. Okay moving on.
3. Now when have clearer picture what do you want, below are some tactical ways:
- Sharpen the pencil
- 30, 60, 90 Days
- Be a flute among the violins
- No excuses, Just Reach out
- Daily Goals
- Sharpen the pencil
- Understand what is required of the job and if you need to learn any new skills or revisit some of the current ones.
- Think of two things: what does the competition have and what does the job require?
- For someone who is seasoned, this might be a bit daunting or frustrating, but hey, what is life if not for these twists and turn? From Womb to Tomb life is a series of battles, we just need to keep rolling with the punches.
- Distinguish between if you need a paid certificate or a good online course will do. Outside Youtube, Coursera and Unacademy are some places to look at.
- 30, 60, 90 Days
- Plan your next 30, 60, and 90 days. Be ambitious and realistic.
- WRITE down where you see yourself in 30, 60, and 90 days.
- Be as detailed as possible.
- Think of your usual day in the life for all three time periods.
- Be a flute among the violins
- In mass layoffs, this becomes very critical.
- Because you are surrounded by lots of people of similar cadre who are targetting similar positions.
- Find a way to stand out; skillset, certification, experience, and networking are a few of the ways to think about it.
- I am a big believer that companies hire smart people to solve complex problems. This could be your flute among the violins.
- For every job description, read between the lines, what problem they could be battling with. And in the interview, networking coffee chats, covering letter, address that.
- No excuses, Just Reach out
- One important skill that I have acquired in my career is reaching-out. The probability of your success increases exponentially when you let your vine know what are you looking for.
- Second is, to be more specific: when you know what industry, and what position you are going for, connect with people who are the decision makers for that position; your future team.
- Remember, it’s also to their benefit to meet with you.
- These meetings, reaching out, and attempting to solve their problems reflect perseverance and hustle, which goes a long way to get approvals from Directors, VPs, etc.
- Daily Goals
- Daily discipline helps to get this difficult time pass. Have a list of things for each day that you want to strike off.
- Make sure you have a buddy, who is playing a gardener and flower role with you. The expectation is not to be your therapist but more like a workout buddy but for some time you need a little more tender, love and care.
- And once you land your dream role, thank your buddy.
I speak from my experience this is not an easy time but know in near future, it will be fine. The above three steps i.e. So what, Step back – examine, and Tactical ways, will get you ahead in your journey. if there is anything I can do to help, do not hesitate to reach out.
The last point I want to call out in this article is job vs. starting something of your own. While I am big on starting something of your own, I don’t think one should venture out with a startup because of the layoff. One should do it because he or she always wanted to do it, is super passionate about it and the layoff just fell at the right time. Else, in some time, your passion will evaporate and the financial crunch will start getting you. Again, what I am saying is “do it for the right reason”.
I wish you very good luck my friends.
Bonus Section
Click below to get customized worksheet and journal that will help you to get back on feet
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How to be more Productive?
How to be more Productive?
There is no better friend than an organized mind and no better enemy than… you know it!
There is a lot of credible literature out there about productivity, and I will suggest you read as and when you require. In this article, my stance is more of a holistic approach and is to target MBA students and young professionals. As you mature in the industry, you grow higher up on the corporate ladder, start a company or sit on boards, etc., you will require different skills. I will touch upon those briefly but the major focus will be on how to be productive as a young professional.
At the core of the mental model, we have two challenges: what is that I should focus on; this is strategic, and then how to achieve that, this is tactical? yes, It really is just these two elements.
Strategic
In the strategic section, it is a four-step mental process.
1. What
What is it that you would like to do? It’s always easier to get to a noun first. fortunately or unfortunately, we have been trained like this since childhood. Remember the question at school either by friends or teachers or parents at home, what do you want to be when you grow up? So let’s start with What. In our case, it could be doing an MBA, getting a finance internship, or a job in product management. Write this down.
2. Why
Let’s peel the onion. Why do you want to do what you want to do? This question generally is not easy to answer. The answer generally starts with ‘because’. I will give some examples:
- A future doctor might say because I want to save lives
- A future product manager will say because I love solving customers’ real problems
- A future olympian might say because I want to bring a Gold home
Here you have an opportunity to go deeper. How can I save lives? A lot many people are dying of Lung Cancer, so I want to focus on that, for example. Or the Banking apps suck, I have experience in app development, so I want to focus on making Banking apps as easy to use as Fintech company apps. Or my country has never gotten gold in Swimming, I want to bring that to my country. And so and so on. The deeper you go, the more clarity you will have for your “What”.
This clarity of What and Why will help you to cut through Noise. There is so much noise in MBA schools and much more in real life post-MBA, having a clearer purpose will always bring confidence and put you at ease. For example, What courses/case comps I am okay to get a ‘B’; which projects I need to lead, and which project I am okay to support from the side. You will have a clear picture of which parts of your life you want to be a big whale leading and in which ones, one of the small fish among many following.
3. What
Now come back to ‘What’. Transitioning back from ‘Why’ to ‘What’ may take some time. Could be a few hours to a week, and that is okay. It all depends on what your goal is and the real ‘why’ behind it. In most cases, you end up tweaking your ‘what’ from the first step. And, Sometimes it completely changes. The key is to go from “What to Why and then tweaking the What”. Trust this process, and when you have your new goal, put this on your wall. Essentially be constantly aware of it. And you will see, the sub-decisions are made with much more purpose then.
4. Re-evaluate
This is the most important step, I believe. Look, I came into MBA thinking I will get into Management Consulting. I had all the right credentials for it but a few months into it I knew Products is better suited for me and is where my heart is. There is no perfect time period to re-evaluate. if you keep your ‘What’ and ‘Why’ in the back of your mind, you will know what is the time to re-evaluate.
Tactical:
This section needs a different mindset altogether. Not everything I mention here will work for you. So you will need to pick and choose. Some people are more tactile, some are more visual, etc. Here I am giving you 5 tactics. not in any sequence. if you can follow one or more them, that will help tremendously. If you are able to implement all the five, nothing can stand between you and your goals.
1. Plan and Premortem
In my other article, I talked about how important it is to spend an hour with yourself first thing in the morning. If you follow the discipline of the morning hour, then plan your day in the morning. One effective way of planning is thinking of the desired outcome of each meeting/task/project, who will walk away with what action item, and the deadline for each of them. Premortem is thinking about why and how can each task may fail; then the mental model is how can this be avoided. Below is a real-life example from my projects:
2. Power of Calendar
Certain things in your work life and personal life will already be scheduled and WILL happen. For example, 6-month performance review, yearly strat-check, funding review, company quarterly results, etc. Unless there are some big disruptions, certain things WILL happen. And an organized mind will plan for it. Let your calendar dictate your schedule. What I mean is,
- If you have a meeting on your calendar, Respect it. In other words, be prepared.
- Don’t move or cancel meetings (as much as possible). People lose confidence in you if you cancel meetings too
3. 15 min Rule
This probably is one of the strongest rules I have for you. A lot can be achieved in 15 mins. As you grow in your career, you will see meetings are not an hour long, not even 30 mins, 15 mins (or even less actually) is enough. Whenever you have 15 mins, USE them. Things that I have effectively used 15 mins are emails, prep for presentations, debriefing meetings, meditation, creative thinking (it works), and the biggest is problem-solving.
4. Small Wins:
Try this. start your day with smaller wins. Get a couple of small Ws under your belt early on. This helps boost your confidence and gives you the motivation to carry on with the day. Remember when you have confidence and motivation, the optimism in your voice, and in your mannerism radiates. It radiates in your conversations, in your texts, and in your emails. And you will NOT go unnoticed.
5. Mercy of unimportant things
I am using Stephen Covey’s terminology here. We more often than not feel that we have an unending list of things to cover. if you take a step back and look at it again, you will see certain tasks are important and certain ones are either ‘nice-to-have’ or actually just not important. And often these unimportant tasks are addicting. One more scroll on tiktok, one more episode on Netflix, and one more round Xbox. Important tasks should not be at the mercy of unimportant tasks.
This mental model of What needs to be done and how to get there is very simple and powerful to stay on top of the right things. I wish you all the best in your journey.
My suggestion would be to try the above model for two weeks. give it two weeks sincerely, and see the magic working. Should you have any questions, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Things for Future
As you grow in your career and in industry, below are the areas where you will need to grow your muscle.
- Delegation
- Reading the Tea Leaves
- Label
- Support structure
- Disagreement
- Elephant’s Tusk
- Social Capital vs. Intellectual Capital
More on this will be in the following article, where we can focus on the skill sets required to grow in the industry. No beating around the bush and no nice- sandwiching lingo, I will share real-world examples and lessons from the industry.
Bonus Section
Click below to get customized worksheet and journal that will help you to get back on feet
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Power of Thoughts
Power of Thoughts
Thoughts are peculiar ones. Right from Vedas to Buddha to the modern thinkers, all indicate that what we think defines us. And if we analyze our own life, it stands to be true; whatever we thought in the past, it defined our actions, and our actions had effects and those effects define who we are today. So, its only logical to say we are responsible for our present state. And this affects all aspects of our lives such as professional, personal, friendships, financial, romantical, social, etc. I will say about 90% of this is under our control, the remaining 10% are things that we couldn’t control, such as weather, economy, wars, etc. Now the next step is to be in command of our thoughts.
How to be in control of your Thoughts?
First things first, I am going to tell you that it’s not easy. And if you struggle in the beginning – it’s all right. It’s a three-step process:
- Being aware
- Decision trees
- Clarity of thoughts
Being aware:
Make a habit of sitting down quietly once a day at least. No interaction with anyone, no music, eyes closed, not too cold a place neither too hot, no other sounds. Just you with yourself. Not too breezy a place either. Now focus on your breathing. Air traveling in from nostrils and out. Nothing else just listen to that sound and focus on it. After about 5 minutes of sitting quietly, the next step is to start thinking intentionally.
Decision tree:
Remember, thoughts are the cause and the state of your life is the effect of it. Now there are two ways of intentional thinking. The end state of both ways is the same. You pick what is easier for you. The first way, think of a previous or current state of your life and reverse engineer to a thought that caused it. For example, I recently finished my MBA, which means somewhere in the past there was a single thought that came to my mind that I should do an MBA. Now before that thought, it was I want to do higher studies. Before that, I am not happy with my current state and I should do something about it. In the past, there was a situation that I did not like and
a thought came to my mind that I should do something about it. Out of that thought came the resolution and the action plan. The second way, usually once you master the cause and effect of the thought through past experiences, is to think of the future event or your state of being. For example, getting up at 4 am every morning, and saying ‘No’ to work that is not your responsibility in the office, or eating vegetarian food and so and so on. Now each of these thoughts will create a future state of you.
And that future state will create many other options in the decision tree for you to think and make choices. For example, if you start saying ‘No’ to extra work, you will have time to do your job with better quality, in a timely manner, and hence feel more confident about yourself. Over time, this confidence will permeate and be seen by your colleagues and superiors; they will start respecting you more, possibly leading to a promotion or a raise. So if the goal is to get a promotion, you need to do a better job at what you do; for doing that you need to have a good workload balance, hence saying ‘No’ (politely) is important. Now, this is an oversimplified and quite positive outcome example, but you get the gist.
Clarity of thoughts:
Now that you understand, how one thought can lead to defining your state of being, pick that thought that will define your future state. Have a crystal clear idea of what that thought is; naturally, it will become a resolution and soon it will reflect in your actions. It happens automatically. All you have to do is, understand what that thought is (for example, saying No) and know why thinking that way is important (your end goal – promotion).
Remember this is a start. If you want to understand about Space, learning about gravity is a good start. If you want to decide your future state, learning to control your thoughts is a good start.
In the end, If you want to go deeper in the process or you get stuck, I will be more than happy to do one-on-one sessions and coach you in your journey . For your quick reference, I have converted the entire model into a one-page snapshot for you; its easy to remember, so put it on your wall, and follow through. Wish you all the best!
Bonus Section
Click below to get customized worksheet and journal that will help you to get back on feet
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How to Sleep Better?
How to sleep better?
You miss 100% of the naps you don’t take.
Sleep, we do it every day, and still, there is so much mystery around it. In this article, we will discuss why sleep is important and how to improve the quality of your sleep. I will provide you with models and worksheets that will help you to follow along and measure your improvement. You can complement this with sleep music, etc. should you wish.
Background
Sleep is one element of human life that has to be looked at from a holistic lens. Let us start this with a personal example, when I was a young boy, I used to see my great-grandfather, my grandfather, they will sit in meditation, and will become Rock almost instantly. And from their own will they will come out of it (meditation). And this is true for actually anyone who really goes into Dhyanam or meditation: they are calm, they are much more centered, and they carry a serene aura around them. And we know a centered, or balanced mind is much more productive and effective than a mind which is either too fanatic or too let’s see a bit low or depressed.
See Over the last 200 years or so, the way of living has changed quite a lot. We are slowly drifting away from Nature, from being able to go deep inside our inner calm. People used to get into meditation pretty much instantly. But if we see now, there are a plethora of tools, and apps such as relaxing music, and calming voices available to assist you . in something that was very much human nature. And, in the last decade or so, it is happening with our Sleep as well. If we tell someone that I go to my bed and fall asleep instantly, the next question might be what sleep app or ASMR app do you use?
Why Sleep is important?
Somebody said to me “You miss 100% of the naps you don’t take”. The activity that brings us closest to meditation is Sleep. It gives us a much-needed mental break. Lack of sleep is one of the major root causes of many types of mental health issues. What you will not find is a single person suffering from mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and so and so on but sleeping perfectly well. Having a proper 6 to 7 hours of sleep is like being reborn again. The problems and the worries of the night before are gone, you are in a place where your body and mind are quiet and relaxing. When you get up, you are physically and mentally rejuvenated. Other by-products of daily physical and mental rejuvenation are weight control, a stronger immune system, improved concentration, and better mood. Another important aspect for young professionals such as you is better decision-making and creative muscle.
How to sleep better?
See nothing is more powerful than Time. Submit yourself to Time. Even the most powerful star in the Universe follows time. The Sun doesn’t say, you know today is Friday, I will rather take a day off and make it a long weekend. It rises. Similarly, you make a entire day routine and sleep schedule. And if you need help, reach out. I will try to help. Sleep early – 930 or 10 pm get up early 4 am or 5 am (or the time that works for you) but stay as close as possible to the natural cycle. And then, stick to it, Say this to yourself “even if the Sun decides to rise from the west tomorrow, I will get up at 4 because nothing matters more Than that.”
In the morning, spend about an hour for yourself. Do NOT look at the phone in the first hour of your day. Get some physical exercise, breathing, and meditation during this time. Post-meditation is also a good time to plan and premortem your day.
Now, during the day, spend time with yourself. Have one meal just by yourself. If this isn’t possible, then at least a coffee or a snack just by yourself.
Observe one good habit of someone during the day. We, humans, are amazing in the sense if we start appreciating things, slowly over time we start acquiring those things/skills as well.
Before bed, journal (sheet provided). And just before bed, do at least 10 minutes of meditation. If it’s particularly a hard day, remember the passing river visual that we practiced in class and do that meditation.
With the meditation that we learned in the class and the below routine followed, within 5 to 7 days, you will start seeing a remarkable difference in your ability to sleep better.
Bonus Section
Click below to get customized worksheet and journal that will help you to get back on feet
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-52MBvav6_3URLuw-8qeoE4VYL4u–tm